Steam pipe coupling



Oct. 18, 1932. F. N. BARD STEAM PIPE COUPLING 2 Sheets-Sheei 1 Filed Nov. 21, 1924 F. N. BARD STEAM PIPE COUPLING Oct, 18, 1932.

Filed Nov. 21, 9 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 I I a i I UNITED STATES PATENTOFFlCE' rnnivcrs 1v. mum, or HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS STEAM PIPE COUPLING Application filed November 21, 1924. Serial No. 751,390.

My present inventionrelates in general to Fluid connections of the present category couplings between relatively movable fluid must be substantially universally flexible in conveying elements, more particularly those order to compensate for vertical, lateral and wherein the factors of pressure or vibration longitudinal relative movement between the 5 (or both) enter, and has special reference to two train elements the piping of which it con- 55 the provision of an improved form of connects, and must further make provision for nection between the engine and tender,or bethe extension and contraction in the length tween several cars of a train. of the pipe line, which are ensuant upon the The principal ob ects of my present invencompression of the springs in the draft gear tion are to improve, simplify, and cheapen m chani I the cost of productionof such coupling de- In preferred practice, there must be aminivices; to render suchdevices less expensive in mum of at least three flexible, preferably unimaintenance and less complicated in strucversal, joints used in the complete coupling. ture and operation; to minimize'vibration; On inspection of Figurel, whichgshows to compensate for inherent strains; and to the connector elements as they are carried at lessen heat dissipation, together with such one end of a locomotive, tender or car, it will further objects as may hereinafter appear. be understood that the opposite end of the This invention is further characterized by adjacent train element carries acomplementhe provision of an'improved flexible pipe tary connection, not shown, which connection coupling includingaminimum number of secis preferably a duplicate of theconne'ctor tions commensurate with eflicient operation; structure illustrated but may be a rubber the provision of an improved wear compenhose connection. 7 sating joint between the sections; the pro- Referring now more particularly to the vision of an improved wear compensating drawings, and firstto Figure 1, the end buffer 25 joint which tends to support the sections in of a railway car as shown, from which a predetermined angular relationship the bracket 6 is supported, said bracket serving provision of an improved coupling includ to support the end angle-cock 7 which is ating jointed pipe sections in which the joints tached to the end of the "steam or air line (not include wear compensating and section supshown) said angle-cock being provided with so porting means; and the provision, in cornayalve stem ,8,and a handle'9for operating bination with jointed pipe sections, of auxsaid valve stem. iliary means for tending to maintain the sec- H The g -9 f IS PrOVlded Wlth an Outlet tions in predetermined position to prevent, n pp h l ed to the upper part 7 the coupling, when employed on a railway Of & l fl l 1 p g 9 Car fromcoming i t i l t t t, ith nected with a depend ng conduit including any i t f th db d' track, the substantially vert cal pipe section 12, um-

Th f i d h the bj t a d versal o nt 13, and substantially horizontal d t e as m appear or b int d ut PIPGLSQCUOII 14, which latter, at its outer end, as thi d i ti e d are att i d i carries aconventlonal form of coupler head 40 the structural embodiment of this invention i illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I PYOVlde means In h of the umvel'sal in which: p I joints l1 and 13 for the dual purpose of com- Figure 1 is anelevational view of part of pensating for wear in these J F an 9 a railway car showing the present inv tio tending to maintain the pipe sections 111 their 45 applied in operative position; e 110111131 posltlqns as l Q f Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view, IalSO provide auxil ary means 0l ylelds partly in section, of one form of the device; ing y S PPQ l g h p p sectlons 111 the P and I r l sition shown, which includes the lug 16 con- Figure 3 is an alternative'form of the inven'iently placed on the jomtpll, the lug 17 vention. conveniently placed on the plpe section 14,

and a helical spring 18 having its opposite ends connected to said lugs by the provision of the links 1919.

The depending pipe or conduit may take two general forms as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the form shown in Figure 2 being employed when the outlet nipple 10 of the angle cock 7 is presentedsubstantially straight down and the other form of the invention being employed where the outlet nipple 10 extends at an angle other than substantially vertical.

Referring to the form of the device shown in Figure 2, the two universal joints 11 and 13 will be seen to be substantially identical in construction, and for this reason I will describe but one of the universal joints in this figure.

The universal joint includes a casing having a passageway 21, which in the case of the universal joint 11 is externally threaded as at 22 for engagement with the nipple 10. The passageway 21a of the universal joint 13 is internally threaded to receive the pipe section 12. r

The casing 20 is enlarged as at 23 to form a chamber and this portion of the casing is externally threaded to receive a retaining ring 24, said ring having a flange 25 which engages and supports an angular packing 26. The packing 26 is preferably metallic and engages the ball part 27 which latter is conveniently hemispherical and is adapted to ride upon the packing or bushing 26.

- The pipe section 12 is threaded into an axial opening 28 in the ball member 27, and the latter is provided with an internal annular shoulder 29, against which is seated an expansion helical spring 30, the opposite end of said spring engaging an annular shoulder 31 formed in the casing 20 adjacent to the passageway 21. i

It will be observed that the spring performs a two-fold function, namely; tends to maintain the pipe section 12 axially with re spect to the passageway 21, and therefore tends to return said pipe section to a substantially vertical position if displaced angularly and to maintain the ball part 27 in fluid tight engagement with the packing 26. The spring 30 not only maintains a fluid tight joint, but in the event that any foreign'particles get between the ball part 27 and the packing 26, the spring will yield sufiiciently to prevent any hard particles from either scoring the surface of the ball part or the bearing surface of the packing and thus tend to expel such particles. The universal joint 13 is substantially ldent cal with the joint 11, as pointed out, and the pipe sectlon 14 is provided with an elbow portion 32 so that the threaded part 33 of said plpe section may conveniently axially engage the ball part 27 of said joint 13, the pipe section 14, therefore, normally projectmg at substantially a right angle to the pipe section 12 and the spring 30-a of the joint 13 tending to maintain said pipe section 14 in the position shown.

As the pipe section 14 and the coupler head 15 are relatively heavy and present a con siderable leverage on the spring 30a at least, it is desirable that the auxiliary supporting member 18 be provided, which will permit any normal manipulation or other displacement angularly of the pipe sections relative to each other and yet relieve the springs 30 and 30--a of too great a distortion which might tend to unduly distort or prematurely devitalize them.

Referring now to the form of the device shown in Figure 3, the universal joint 11a, as will be seen from the part thereof shown in section, is substantiallyidentical with the joint 11, the exception being that the upper portion 2()a of the casing and the threaded outlet member 22a of the joint 11a is disposed at an inclination to the lower part 23a of the casing, so that the part 22 may conveniently engage the outlet nipple 10 of the angle cock 7 in the event that said nipple extends at an inclination to the vertical.

The substantially vertical pipe section 34 is formed in two sections, 12a and 12-?), connected by a threaded joint 12c, for the reason that in this form of the invention the pipe section 12-42 is formed integrally with the ball member 27a of the joint 11a and similarly the pipe section 12-b is formed integrally with the casing 20a of the universal joint 13-a.

Carrying this feature throughout the coupling, it will be observed that the pipe section 14-a is made integrally with the ball member 27-c of the joint 13-a.

The pipe section 14a is supported additionally, as in the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, by the provision of the helical spring 18a, links 19a and a bracket member 35 which encircles the portion 20a of the joint 11-a and has a lug 36 for connection to one of the links 19a.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by. Letters Patent is 1. In a structure for forming a connection between relatively movable pipe members, a coupling device including a depending pipe supported by one of said pipe members, a plurality of universally movable oints in said depending pipe including annular seat members, and ball portions engaging said seat members, one of the sections of said depending pipe having an integral curved portion for bringing a part thereof into approximate parallelism with said first mentioned pipe members, and means in each of said joints for holding said ball portions against said seat members for tending to maintain said depending pipe in a predetermined position.

2. In a structure for forming a connection between relatively movable pipe members, a coupling device including a'depending pipe supported by one of said pipe members, a plurality of universally movable joints in said depending pipe'includingannular packing members, and ball portions engaging said packings, one of the sections of said depending pipe having an integral curved portion for bringing a part thereof into approximate parallelism with said first mentioned pipe members, and yieldingly resistant means in each of said joints for holding said ball portions against said packings and for tending to maintain said depending pipe in a predetermined position.

3. In a structure for forming a connection between relatively movable pipe members, a flexible conduit including a normally substantially vertical pipe section, a normally substantially horizontal pipe section; a universal joint for said pipe sections, and means for normally tending to seal said joint and to maintain said pipe sections in substantially vertical and horizontal position, respectively.

4. In a structure for forming a connection between relatively movable pipe members, a flexible conduit including a normally substantially vertical pipe section, a normally substantially horizontal pipe section; a universal joint for said pipe section, and yieldingly resistant means for normally sealing said joint and tending to maintain said pipe sections in substantially vertical and horizontal position, respectively.

5. In a structure for forming a connection between relatively movable pipe members, a

flexible conduit including a normally'substantiallv vertical pipe section, a normally substantially horizontal pipe section. a universal joint for said pipe sections. and means in said universal joint for normally tending to maintain said pipe sections in substantially vertical and horizontal position said means serving to hold the pipe sections sealed against leakage in all positions of relative angularity. respectively.

6. In a device of the character described. in combination. a depending conduit includinc: a plurality of universally iointed sections. means associated with each joint performing the dual function of maintaining the joint sealed and for maintaining said sections in predetermined angularity, and auxiliary means cooperating with said last named means for relieving the latter of strain.

7. In a device of the character described,

in combination, a depending conduit including a plurality of universally jointed sections, means associated with each joint performing the dual function of maintaining the joint sealed and for maintaining said sections in predetermined angularity, and auxsections in predetermined angularity, and

auxiliary means cooperating with said last named means for relieving the latter of strain, said auxiliary means spanning at least one of said joints.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

FRANCIS N. BARD;

CERTIFICATE OF GORREGTEON.

Patent No. 1,883,469. October 18, 1932.

FRANCIS N. BARD.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 128, claim 1, before "for" insert the word "and"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of December, A. D. 1932.

M. J Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

